1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to containers for shipping and storing bulk material, and particularly, to paperboard containers having pouring spouts for dispensing bulk material. Such containers have particular utility for handling, storing and dispensing relatively large quantities of bulk materials, such as rice, other grains, carbon black, other chemicals, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
The prior art, as exemplified in U. S. Pat Nos. 1,020,536; 1,842,237; 2,151,202; 2,349,748; 2,357,092; 2,781,156; and 3,082,926, contains a number of containers having recloseable openings or pouring spouts located adjacent or on the top of the container. Such containers require tipping or inverting in order to dispense the contents through the opening or pouring spout. Top pouring spouts on containers have been satisfactory for small containers of the type which are easily held in the user's hands; however, for containers storing large quantities of bulk material where the weight of the material renders lifting and inversion of the container impractical, such top pouring spouts have not been satisfactory.
Additionally, the prior art, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,959,231; 2,585,056; 2,799,440; 3,012,044; 3,066,842; 3,193,152; 3,599,830; 3,606,969, and 3,701,466, contains a mumber of containers with facilities for dispensing the contents from the bottom of the containers. The prior art bottom dispensing facilities generally are not capable of positively controlling the flow of material from the container and are generally not easily closeable against the pressure of the remaining contents within the container.
Bulk material containers in the prior art, particularly when used for a relatively heavy material such as rice, have been subject to puncture or bulging of the side wall. Also, when stacked in a warehouse or the like, the containers on the bottom of the stack are susceptable to being crushed by the weight of the containers and material on top. Manufacturer's joints, particularly single overlapping side wall joints, can break open when full containers are lifted, moved, or set down in normal handling conditions. Where encircling steel straps are employed to reinforce the side walls of the containers, the straps and their clasps can catch on other objects or can have sharp exposed edges and points which can be hazardous to people handling the containers.